This is Water / This is Water - David Foster Wallace (Sat 21 May 2005)

Transition - water - Jerrabomberra Creek / Canberra - Sat 12 Mar 2005 (picasa)
David Foster Wallace's (w) 2005 Kenyon College Commencement Address (Sat 21 May 2005) begins with this "neat" parable ...

There are these two young fish swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, "Morning, boys. How’s the water?" And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, "What the hell is water?"

He eloborates in the midst of the long and inspiring Address ...

[..] The point of the fish story is merely that the most obvious, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about....The fact is that in the day to day trenches of adult existence, banal platitudes can have a life or death importance. [..]

and conlcudes with ...

The capital-T Truth is about life BEFORE death. It is about the real value of a real education, which has almost nothing to do with knowledge, and everything to do with simple awareness; awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, all the time, that we have to keep reminding ourselves over and over:

This is water.

This is water.

The above photo is the photo that seemed to start my obsession of photographing water in earnest. No need to explain any more than this. Just thought this was a nice way to tie it all together, for me at least.

The Catch - Johnny Puakea and Danny Ching OC Clinic (16 May 2008)

The Catch - Johnny Puakea and Danny Ching Paddling Clinic OC Clinic - at blip.tv (16 May 2008)
John: What I look for is a forward angle on the catch. 99% of people are going to reach and look exactly like this (Danny on ERG in perfect setup) before they take a stroke. But what they are going to do is come 8, 9 or 10 inches before they hit the water. And another 2 or 3 inches before they sink the blade.

So the idea is to set that blade we you reach it.

I hear all the time that "I hit the front iako" in the canoe. Well if you are hitting the front iako, but your putting in the paddle a foot back. So why not just put the paddle in there?

The idea is to reach the paddle to the point you are going to put in. If you can only put the full blade in at this point. Then start there. Don't reach out here and then come back 5, 6 or 7 inches before you set the blade. It's a wasted motion. If you can get in here at this angle, then eventually over time as you get more comfortable then you start moving a half inch further forward, and then move another half inch farther forward.

So forward angle on the catch is the first thing I look for.

I look for a triangle. The bottom of the blade is here is one point. Your top hand is the second point and the back of your hip is your third.

So if you body has this triangle motion and you set the blade there and then you start to use your larger efficient muscles (???).

I will let Danny do some talking as he is good at this.

Danny: As Johny said, the biggest thing is to get your blade to set in the water. It doesn't count if the tip just touches the water and it does not count if it is up in the air. The entire blade has to be set.

Johnny actually showed me a drill that is really hard to do but is surprisingly sounds really easy. You literally just set up, set you blade in the water at forward angle, don't pull and then take it out. Amazing how many people setup in the air start back to pull and it surprisingly simple. All you do is set up the blade and you just set blade in the water, take it out, set it again. This kind of gets you use to knowing where your catch is.

Some people have really long arms that are great for putting the paddle up here. Some people have little short arms. It's kind whatever you can reach comfortably because if you get this point (over extended). You can't pull from here, You can't be really efficient from here. You need to find that extension where you have a forward angle and you setting the whole blade in the under water (at a positive angle).

99% of paddlers get here, start there stroke and it is buried here and this is where the stroke starts (short).

You have a great picture of you and the paddle in the air and this great reach and everything is perfect. But you are not starting your stroke until here. (short)

Johnny: That's why every likes pictures of them paddling in the air, because it looks great. And you get a six man team and everyone looks awesome and then a lot of times with the video you go stroke by stroke.

If you can get someone to take a video of you and you think about that forward angle on the catch and where you are setting your catch. If you go frame by frame, you see each frame as go come back farther and farther until the blade gets in the water.

A lot of times, by the time you set that blade in, a lot of people have this angle (negative) on the shaft.

You have lost your whole load at the front. The reason you are paddling up front is that you are using leverage instead of muscle and that is how I kind of look at it.

[By example] If you are reaching out really far and setting it in, you are using lats, legs, stomach and core muscles. You know if you are in here and bending your arm, and this is where it feels heavy (during the pull). A lot people think I am doing a lot of work, I am really strong and this is working out. Well that's not it. The reason is that it feels heavy is that you no longer have leverage. Out here feels (extended) easy because you ahve leverage. It should feel like you are out in front and you have set the blade and you literally grab onto mud or concrete.

OK I always say, that if a door is closed shut and it is nailed closed. What you are going to do is put your foot one the wall and you ging to have your arm out and you are going to pull on it this way (at 4:25 sec mark - effectively shows leg drive also).

It's the same thing when you are paddling. You are never going to go up to that door and go half way up to it, and give it good yank, because there is no leverage.

Any questions? That is just the first part.

Danny: You will know when you get out and set the blade on forward angle, because it feels heavier and it is actually harder. Once you get going, that's going to help you out just to keep your speed. (???)

When you get out here. Once you set the blade, it feels a lot heavier, then if you are going to pull back and set here (short).

Johnny: That's where the one man technique comes in so handy in canoe paddling. A lot people just paddle 6 mans and not one mans (??). If you have your own boat, you can get out there and see where you are putting the paddle in. No timing to keep up with, nobody is racing you, you are not in the competiiton mode. You just sit there relax and go. OK:

• can I put that paddle in up front?


• Did I have a forward angle?


• Did I set the whole blade?

If you can get that blade set at a forward angle at the front, then half you battle is over.

Flowers on the Water - Dragons Abreast Australia - CNY 2011 (Sun 13 Feb 2011)

Flowers on the Water - Dragons Abreast Australia - CNY 2011 (Sun 13 Feb 2011)

Flowers on the Water - Dragons Abreast Australia - CNY 2011 (Sun 13 Feb 2011)
Flowers on the Water - Dragons Abreast Australia - CNY 2011 (Sun 13 Feb 2011)
Flowers on the Water - Dragons Abreast Australia - CNY 2011 (Sun 13 Feb 2011)
A really moving Ceremony with close to 264 breast cancer survivors on the water from all over Australia. Was honoured to be asked to participate as part of the Illawarra Dragons Abreast Team who I steered. Jo steered the Brisbane Team. Thank You.

Whosus - Back on the Water - Gunnamatta Bay / Cronulla (Sun 22 Apr 2012)

Whosus - Back on the Water - Gunnamatta Bay / Cronulla (Sun 22 Apr 2012)
Whosus - A Sign - Gunnamatta Bay / Cronulla (Sun 22 Apr 2012)
Whosus - A Double Sign - Gunnamatta Bay / Cronulla (Sun 22 Apr 2012)
Had Whosus, our OC1, out on the water for the first time since mid-June last year, when I moved by to Kirrawee. She has been sitting in the Garage there for all that time, waiting patiently for me to sell my old car (mid-July 2011) and then to buy a new car (early Jan 2012) and then roof racks (mid-Feb 2012).

Hardest bit was the last bit and that was trying to find the motivation to get back on the water with her. Well today was the day and it feels like the right time with just 10 weeks to Hong Kong for World Club Crew Championships. As I took the top photo at the end of the session with Kelly, Bec and Greg, a Rainbow and then a Double Rainbow was definitely an approving sign from above for sure. I had not seen a rainbow like this since the afternoon of Jenny's Funeral.

Today's words of wisdom by the prolific Kirk Tuck (*) who writes (*)..

To know how to do something well and know why you need to know how opens the doors of consciousness and intentional creativity.

It was great to back out on the water with her and the conditions were fantastic to get the feel for the swell and the runners. I think I learnt more today than I had in the last 3 and 1/2 years or maybe it was the latent accumulation of all that experience I have gained since Whosus arrived.

Whosus Christening - Geoff, Jenny, Joanne and Whosus - Glebe School / Blackwattle Bay (Sat 17 Oct 2008)
Whosus - Balmoral Saturday Open Water Session - (Sat 04 Apr 2009)
As we paddled past Darook Park to and from Port Hacking, I reminisced on our Wedding Day at Cronulla and the beautiful photos that were taken almost 12 years ago. How much life has changed since then.

Joanne, Tim, Geoff, Jenny, David and Jenny - Darook Park / Crounulla (Sun 30 Apr 2000)

Five One Hundredths of a Second - 500m Premier Opens Final - AusDBF Nats / Penrith (Fri 19 Apr 2013)

Five One Hundredths of a Second - 500m Premier Opens Final - AusDBF Nats / Penrith (Fri 19 Apr 2013)
Once, twice or, maybe three times (if you are fortunate enough and willing to take the risks) in a paddling career you do something unbelievable. Something you just can’ t explain, though sometimes it worth giving it a try. Here goes ..

You are happy you have made the major final. You know you are up against strong teams. The favourite, the team directly on your left, you have not beaten in three years. In fact you have not been within a boat length, over 500m, for the last two years. Against the odds, and your failing self-confidence, you still somehow believe that we can still get across the line first. To be part of of something great. There is always hope at the start. It is a chance to create who you want to be. You don't get your hopes up too high, as you have been disappointed in the past. You don't think about all of this too much at this point. The focus is putting your best race on the water and seeing how it compares to the others when you have all crossed the line. You are not overly nervous, but you are excited and proud to be there. A supportive and encouraging tap on the knee for those around you. Remember it is a 30 stroke start. Just focus on the first 3 strokes and take it one by one from there. Clean water. Hand out of the water. Blade buried. Make sure you feel and stay connected with the water with every stroke. The starter aligns us and we ready. "Paddlers, are you ready, attention please" .... the gun does not fire for some reason. This has happened a few time before over the years. Keep your focus, no distractions. We will be away soon. Refocus, lets do it again - 30 Start, first 3, deep and clean - feel the water. "Paddlers, are you ready, attention please" ... "GO". You Go on the "G". 1-2-3, up, up, .. 10, up, up, .. 20, up, up, ..7,..30, reach, reach, hinge, hinge. The boat is up and running and there is something there. We are hingeing and driving through the stroke. The boat is more than running, it is been driven through the stroke like it has felt in training over last few weeks, except this time it is race intensity, not level 4, Remember this Geoff, Remember this moment. We are there next to them, where usually they pull away here, but we talked about staying connected. Give it everything to the 250m and refocus. Somehow, we are sttil there at the 250m. Refocus and reinvent yourself, I think. Drive, Drive is the call, We are still there, connected. You have a 6th sense (and good hearing) and you know without looking that our drummers are side by side. Passing the 200m start hut and the little red lane marker buoy. There is something uplifting in our Sweep's voice - "you are doing it". The lane buoys turn to red - we are 100m out. We have done everything our training has given our bodies - it's amazing to find that something extra that the sport scientists say should not be there. Mentally, prepare for the lift home. This is the most crucial part of the race - they are probably a nose ahead. We are going to have to do something amazing - something the other teams have pulled on us often over the years. "do it for the gold (or was it girls?)" is the call. We lift. We lift. The rate comes up a touch and the boat becomes light as we surge forward with every stroke - narrowing the margin. It is all clear as day, those last few strokes. You give it everything you've got when there is nothing to give. You cross the line, you hear the finish horn blast away in succussion. You look across and you know you have done it. The look in your competitors faces tell you that they know you have also done it and you take a few quiet moments to take it all in, while some of the others around you show their elation more jubilantly. Gasping for air, you touch the same knees as you did before the start. This time the "ritual" tap is to acknowledge your team mates efforts and the fact that you have done something that does not happen that often in a paddling career. "Three cheers for the other crews" is the call from our Drummer - three "hip hip". and a breathless "hooray". We bring the boats in and we all get off. Back slaps and hugs all around. Not even a second thought who won that one as you make your way through the other 180 or so paddlers you have just competed against. You smile and for some reason laugh. This kind of win does not happen that often - "take it in", "take it in" you say to yourself. You see many familiar faces as you walk through the line. They are happy for you. Many you have experienced some amazing experiences around the world in Australian Campaigns past and you hope that the journey with them will continue. Somewhere along the way you hear that we did it by five one hundredths of a second. You know the course well and you smile that you can pick such a small amount of time moments after crossing the line. What a race. You think to yourself, "it's not that we won it, it is how we won it" – it's just not what was expected by many (including yourself) and that is the beauty of dragon boat racing - the randomness and uncertainty to some extent. The boat has never felt like that out of the start and into the transition. You think to yourself, you have never paddled like that before. You feel fortunate that you took the risk to be there, you did the training, the testing, you've put yourself on the line time and time again. You have been crushed by the ramifications of defeat and oddly enough, those one or two other once in a life time victories . At the end of the day you know that it is worth the sacrifices you make to do what you have done, do and hope to do. Maybe this is not the end, but a new beginning ..

I will leave this unedited. It’s just a stream of thought that came out of my subconscious in the last 20 mins. Hope it makes sense and it will be fun to read, many year’s into the future.

Five One Hundredths of a Second - 500m Premier Opens Final - AusDBF Nats / Penrith (Fri 19 Apr 2013)

When he wins a battle, the warrior celebrates

When he wins a battle, the warrior celebrates.

This victory has cost him anxious moments, nights racked with doubt, endless days of waiting. Since ancient times, celebrating a triumph has been part of the ritual of life itself: celebration is a rite of passage.

His companions see the warrior of light's joy and think: 'Why is he doing that? He might be disappointed in his next battle. He might draw down on himself the wrath of his enemy.'

But the warrior knows why he is celebrating. He is savouring the best gift that victory can bring: confidence.

He celebrates yesterday's victory in order to gain more strength for tomorrow's battle.

From the Manual of Warrior of Light by Paulo Coelho - (more here).

The above passage now makes me realise why we should celebrate our little successes and achievements - it is not just about celebrating the victory!!

Jenny - she has just been presented with 2006 Aus Flag Bearer Recognition Trophy (Macau 2006 - a story for another day) - Kawana - 23 Apr 2009 (picasa)
Hard to believe that 12 months has almost gone by since the 2009 AusDBF National Dragon Boat Titles at Kawana. As we go through the final selection process and complete our final training sessions, I guess it is a good time to reflect on past experiences.

We did have a great time at the 2009 Nationals and it was fantastic that Jenny was with us. The day before we flew to the Sunshine coast, Jenny had her 5th cycle of fortnightly treatment (chemo and another drug, Avastin) and was still able to paddle for her State and Club over the Regatta. She did experience numerous visual migraines at night, which a month later would be diagnosed as being caused by a 4cm brain tumor. She also worried that the tumors in her liver would cause painful cramping in her stomach, but this did not occur while she was paddling.

Jenny, Geoff and Joanne - State - Kawana - 23 Apr 2009 (picass)

Jenny, Jo and Geoff - 200m Men's and Women's Tropy's - Breakfree Resort/Caloundra - 26 Apr 2009 (picasa)

The following is a small photo essay of the "9 from 9" effort by my club, the Pacific Dragons. This result was never expected and we took it one race at a time. Each day the Women's Crew would put the race of a lifetime on the water in the final and somehow come across the line first. This then put the pressure on the Men's crew to do the same. A few strategic words, a couple of calming and distracting jokes, and the moving story of brave little Tommy , from Gav would get us on the water to do the best we could. The rest is now history.

Gav gave Eugene (my seat 1 partner) and myself, the great honour of receiving the last club trophy to be presented at the Regatta. It was an amazing moment for Eugene and I, as we held aloft the Gold Medals and 200m Open's Winning Trophy. The assembled Australian Dragon Boat Community stood and applauded the amazing and historic achievement of our club, the Pacific Dragons. I had never seen anything like it and was humbled by the genorosity of spirit the Australian Dragon Boat community displayed that day to our Coaches, Teams, and Club.

All the best to every competing at the 2010 AusDBF National Dragon Boat Championships in Adelaide over the Anzac Weekend. Look forward to some great racing and catching up with many friends, and hopefully making some new friends on and off the water.

See you in Adelaide. Jenny's Spirit and Memory will be with us. She Guides and Inspires us from Above.

PD's Premier Open 200m Final - Kawana - Sun 26 Apr 2010 (picasa)

Premier Opens 200m Final - AusDBF 2009 National Dragon Boat Champs - Kawana/Qld - Sun 26 Apr 2009 (at youtube by warwick27au)

The smile says it all - "9 from 9" - tidying up the Cox Vox cable after the Premier Open 200m Final - Anne would ask me to come and celebrate with the Team off the water - Kawana - Sun 26 Apr 2009 (picasa)

Eugene and Geoff - Premier Open 200m Presentation - "PD's - nine from nine !! - I did not really want this weekend to end as I kind of knew the end was beginning to start (Editors: An End has a Start)." - Kawana - Sun 26 Apr 2009 (picasa)

The Australian Dragon Boat Community acknowledging Pacific Dragons "9 from 9" - Kawana - Sun 26 Apr 2009 (picasa)

Lost in the Crowd - Kawana - Sun 26 Apr 2009 (picasa)

PD's Premier Open Men - After Party Celebration - Kawana - Sun 26 Apr 2010 (picasa)

Pacific Dragons - After Party Celebration - Kawana - Sun 26 Apr 2010 (picasa)

The Orange Wave - Gav Crowd Surfing - Just go with it Gav - After Party Celebration - Kawana - Sun 26 Apr 2010 (picasa)

Joanne, Helen, Jenny and Nicola - After Party Celebration - Kawana - Sun 26 Apr 2010 (picasa)

Joanne, Jenny and Geoff - After Party Celebration - Kawana - Sun 26 Apr 2010 (picasa)


Vale Jenny Petterson - picasaweb - A Pocketful of Sequins - PD's Tribute (picasa)

Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage - Letterman (Tue 08 Nov 2011) / New York Times (Sun 30 Oct 2011)

Water - Niagara Falls / Canada (Thu 01 Sep 2011)
Niagara Falls - Ontario / Canada (Thu 01 Sep 2011
Niagara Falls (Detail #1) - Ontario / Canada (Thu 01 Sep 2011)
Niagara Falls (Detail #2) - Ontario / Canada (Thu 01 Sep 2011)
We spent Thu 01 Sep 2011 (*) at Niagara Falls (*). When we were planning the trip back in early June 2011, I was not that keen on spending a day at the Falls. However, when Jo showed me the photos (*) of her trip there with Jenny back in 1987, I felt we had to go. I guess another kind of Pilgrimage (*).

After a little searching on wikitravel (*), we decided that we could catch a bus out from and back to Toronto (*) and not do the guided tour thing with a travel company, which included a stop at a winery. Figured by doing a local bus trip, we could do our own thing at our own pace.

On our arrival at the Falls we were mesmerised by the flowing water and spent a good hour there, just looking at the water roll over the edge. These photos and its details (exposed by cropping) capture a little of what we looked at for so long.

Watched Letterman last night and saw Annie Leibovitiz (*) being interviewed. Much of the interview touched on her new book Pilgrimage (*) which I knew was in the works (*). Was pleasantly surprised to see the Niagara Falls featured in the book as well as being the cover photo (see below).

David Letterman - Annie Leibovits - Tue 08 Nov 2011 (*)
Finally, from the New York Times (Sun 30 Oct 2011), Dominique Browning writes (*)..

So Ms. Leibovitz planned a trip to Niagara Falls. Nothing went right. They were late getting on the road; their hotel room was given away; when they finally found a place to sleep, their room had a view of a cement wall. Ms. Leibovitz, fielding calls from lawyers as she approached the falls, couldn’t take them in. “I didn’t quite get it.” But she noticed that her girls were mesmerized. She went to where they were standing, and grew still. “I was stunned by the beauty of the water (*),” she says. The picture she took that morning became the cover of the book.

Further on she talks about the creative process, about how to sustain it..

"Talent is something anyone can have. It can go away. It needs to be nurtured, taken care of. The best thing about getting older is that you kind of know what you are doing — if you stick with something. It doesn’t get easier. But you get stronger. Pilgrimage (*) is an exercise in taking care of what I do. My books are my way of being able to express myself completely."

Pilgrimage - Cover - Annie Leibovitz

On Photography and Ambiguity - Streetshooter (Thu 29 Oct 2015)

Shroud of Erskine Creek - Water - Erskine Creek / Mount Gower / Lord Howe Island (Mon 22 Oct 2001)

Streetshooter on Photography and Ambiguity:

The thing is, to have all three elements of the self - find and realize your intent. The Eye, Heart and Mind work together to find the subject and realize the intent. The entire process from start to finish is ambiguous and should be allowed to remain that way.

via Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 28 … Street … Deciphering and Realizing Intent by Streetshooter.

Our group stopped here about half way up Mount Gower to rest and to refuel for the second and more difficult half of our ascent of Mount Gower. For some reason I made a photo of the water with the reflection of the over head canopy and shafts of light breaking through. It was just a photo of the water, I thought. When I saw this photo on my computer screen a few weeks later, I decided it would look better in Black and White and made the transformation. In doing so a beautiful women revealed herself out of the relections in the water. I hope you can see her. Not everyone can. For me I see photos and I see people in photos.

The words Ambiguity and Uncertainity are interesting words. Closely related but very different. I think I can understand and feel the difference. Hence I would like to substitute the word ambiguous above with uncertain. I'm not exactly sure as I feel the word ambiguity has quite a few shades of meaning in that it can be difficult thing or a good thing depending on the context of its application. Post inspired by a engaging discussion with Carla. Thanks Carla.

Geoff Dyer on Trent Parke (2010) - American Suburb X - (Fri 17 Dec 2010)

Geoff Dyer on Trent Parke (2010) - American Suburb X - (Fri 17 Dec 2010)
I have a Google Alert for Trent Parke, an Australian Photographer who is a member of Magnum and in-public (who BTW have just celebrated their 10th birthday).

Trent Parke - Google Blog Search Result - My Google Reader - Fri 17 Dec 2010
Most days I will get one or two alerts come through on my Google Reader. Normally, they don't lead to anything interesting or something I don't already know about him. However, I received an alert that quickly drew my attention. It was titled:

Geoff Dyer on Trent Parke (2010).

As Andrew Bruce posted today on Trent's Facebook Wall:

easily the best piece of writing on Parke to date

Have to agree and it is definitely worth a read.

A bit of a ramble to follow. I have known of Geoff Dyer for sometime. At least since around the time of the publication of his book, the The Ongoing Moment (Guardian Review - 16 Oct 2005). A novel and rather modest approach to writing about photography - he claims that he does not even own a camera:

"I am not a photographer ... I don't even own a camera."

I enjoyed the book and appreciated his knowledge of photography. In particular I enjoyed his writing style and the metaphors he used to get his ideas across - you will see this in his article on Trent.

[on writing about the book, The Seventh Wave] The surface of the sea is a film separating two worlds, that of water and that of air. Though absolute the distinction is perpetually on the brink of dissolving, melting away. People fly through the water as if suspended in a turbulent sky, or float through great clouds of aquatic light. That’s what water is for Parke and Autio – liquid light. Forms dissolve, blur, swim into and out of focus. Quick and silver, the water is a flash-flood of mercury.

Phot from the The Seventh Wave - Narelle Autio and Trent Parke
On to Trent Parke. I have followed his progress since he was photographer with the Sydney Morning Herald back in the early 2000's. He had two photos in the first Sydney Looking Forward Exhibtion back in 2002. I wrote about one of the photos here. Indeed the post is one of the more popular pages residing in my little blog.

In 2003 I bought two copies of the two books he had published at that stage:

• Dream/Life


• The Seventh Wave

Both books appear to be long out of print, by the looks of the Amazon Used Books prices.

Looks like I have done alright with these purchases (they were about $50 each from the Stills Gallery). I could not help myself other than to buy two copies of each. They were just beautiful. I have a soft/weak spot for photography books. I can remember catching the train after work, upto Kings Cross and then walking into Paddington to the Stills Gallery. I took quite a few photos with my litte IXUS. Must drag them out of the archive to find out the exact date of purchase of the books. A job for another day.

I will close with a quote from Geoff Dyer's article on Trent:

Later works will continue but intensify the Dream/Life vision so that, at its most extreme, Sydney becomes a kind of ghost city, in the process of being annihilated by light. A passer-by will be transformed into an accidental super-hero: Solar-man, a bleached absence of pure radiance! (Part of the fascination of this picture is of the photographer-as-magician kind: how did he do that? The difference between magic and photography is that the spell remains unbroken even when the technical explanation - which, in any case, I cannot recall - is forthcoming. [GeoffE: maybe some discussion here will help: How is this done? (Trent Parke) at photo.net - 31 Mar 2004)]

White Man, 2001 - Circular Quay/Sydney (GeoffE: at guess!) - Trent Parke
An article by the Sydney Morning Herald's Tim Clayton giving some background to the working environment that Trent Parke evolved.

What I think about when I think by the side of the River Charles - Boston (Mon 22 Aug 2011)

Jogging Path (1 of 5) - Charles River / Boston (Mon 22 Aug 2011)
Jogging Path (2 of 5) - Charles River / Boston (Mon 22 Aug 2011)

Jogging Path (3 of 5) - Charles River / Boston (Mon 22 Aug 2011)
Jogging Path (4 of 5) - Charles River / Boston (Mon 22 Aug 2011)
On a whim, I recently bought myself a copy of Haruki Murakami's (*) book, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (*). As I read it, I was quite taken by the following passage ..

It's been 10 years since I lived in Cambridge [Boston]. When I saw the Charles River again, a desire to run swept over me. Generally, unless some change takes place, rivers always look the same, and the Charles River in particular looked totally unchanged. Time had passed, students had come and gone, I'd aged ten years, and there'd literally been a lot of water under the bridge. But the river has remained unaltered. The water still flows swiftly, and silently, toward Boston Harbour. The water soaks the shoreline, making the grasses grow thick [..]

Maybe because it's the home of the Boston Marathon, Cambridge is full of runners. The jogging path along the Charles goes on forever, and if you wanted to you could run for hours. The problem is, it's used by cyclists, so you have to watch out for speeding bikes whizzing past from behind. At various places, too, there are cracks in the pavement you have to make sure you don't trip over, and a couple of long traffic signals you can get stuck at, which can put a kink in your run. Otherwise, it's a wonderful jogging run.

I sat beside the River Charles. It was late afternoon on the last day of our 4 days in Boston. We had arrived on the Friday from a week in New York. Here are a few photos from my time sitting by the River Charles.

We had already been away for a day short of 4 weeks and it would be another 3 weeks before arriving back home. I was enjoying the trip but was thinking a lot about all the changes that had been occurring in my life - I was without a car and I had moved back to Kirrawee while I waited for my house, I had never really planned or contemplated to live in, to become available while I was away. Tried not to think about these things too much from a far, as I had no control over them. Instead, I just sat myself down on a seat bench by the River Charles and tried to think of other things.

I sat there in the beautiful afternoon sun, I thought of many things. I thought of all the other times I had been to Boston, what took me there and what I did while I was there. I also tried to remember who I was and what I was doing in my life around the time of each trip.

September and October 1988 was the first trip, and it would be just under a year before I would meet Jenny for the first time.

I reflected on the two years since Jenny had left us and all the things that happened since that time. In some ways, it was just sitting there by the River Charles, that I finally stopped and had a chance to clear my thoughts and to really think about things.

I had really kept myself busy and distracted since Jenny's passing (*) - it was one way of coping with the enormity of Jenny's loss. In some ways, I was starting to forget things - who I was, the things that we had done and what I thought I was going to do with my life.

As I sat there by the River Charles, I watched the walkers, runners and bicycle riders go past. Their long shadows, created by the late afternoon sun, are what struck me and this is what kept me interested as I captured these photos. I wondered who these people were, what had brought them to Boston and whether one of them was the future creator of the next social media craze.

A couple of rowers set off from near where I sat and I wondered if they were the Winklevii (*) of Facebook fame (*).

MIT / TIM - Charles River / Back Bay / Boston (Mon 22 Aug 2011)

As I sat there I could see tiny sail boats, standup paddle boards and wind surfers. One wind surfer was fairly inexperienced and a more experienced wind surfer went to his aid, if only to provide advice and moral support, in the knowledge of just being there.

The small sailing boats were from MIT, which is just across the River, and it was only when I saw through the transparent sails, that I realised that in reverse, MIT, spells TIM, my late Brother's name - so I thought about him for a little while. He had been to Boston a few times also, so I thought about all the same things for Tim. Maybe he had sat here and pondered some of the same things, 25 years earlier? I also wondered why I had never made the MIT to TIM connection. Or thinking about it now, I think I may have thought about it a long time ago, but maybe I had forgotten remembering the connection.

Have been to Boston four times prior to this trip and I have visited it on each of my trips to the USA. The last time was just over 17 years earlier in April 1994, where I had hoped I might be able to run the Boston Marathon (*).

Now as I sit here and think about the things I thought about by the River Charles in Boston that late afternoon on Mon 22 Aug 2011, I can now see where Haruki Murakami's (*) ran along the side of the same river on the very path he captured in words above and I have captured in the photos on this page. I also now have an appreciation and can imagine where he found part of the inspiration to write What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (*), which I am now reading and enjoying.

That will do for now. Just leave it here.

Jogging Path (5 of 5) - Charles River / Boston (Mon 22 Aug 2011)
A bit of ramble to mark my 700th Post here.

Kafka Ripples (Water) - Vltava River / Prague (Wed 31 Aug 2005)

Kafka Ripples (Water) - Vltava River / Prague (Wed 31 Aug 2005)
We would return to Prague 4 years later and place some of Jenny's Ashes on the water at this very spot (on the Vltava River between the Manes and Charles Bridge just down from the Kafka Museum).

Grand Masters Crew Leader Speech - Australian Auroras Team Dinner - Tampa / USA (Mon 01 Aug 2011)

On behalf of the Grand Dragon's I would like to congratulate everyone here on their achievements in reaching this point in their Climb to Tampa 2011.

We are just about to summit and the reality of our training and efforts over the last nine months will soon become crystal clear. This time next week, Tampa 2011 and your efforts will come the most recent addition to the history of Australian Dragon Boating at International Events, in this case the 2011 IDBF World Championships here in Tampa.

In talking about Dragon Boat History, on behalf of us all I would like to acknowledge all of those people, teams and squads that have become before us. They have shown us the way forward and they have demonstrated that anything is possible.

I would like us to reflect briefly on previous Australian Squad Members who have left this world and who inspire us from above. They are:

• Margaret Cantwell - IDBF Worlds (Berlin 2005)


• Jon Taylor - IDBF Worlds (Berlin 2005)


• Jenny Petterson - IDBF Worlds (Shanghai 2004, Berlin 2005, Sydney 2007) and Asian Games (Macau 2006)


• Maurice Cowan - IDBF Worlds (Shanghai 2004, Berlin 2005)

On your behalf, I would also like to acknowledge and thank your "supporters in paddling" - your coaches, managers and team mates.

In particular I acknowledge and thank your "supporters in life" - your understanding families and friends who have no doubt made many sacrifices to see you here representing your country at the highest level in your sport.

As we sit here now, I would like you to think back that very moment you decided and were inspired to become part of the 2011 Auroras Squad. As you reflect over the time from that decision to now, you should be truly proud in your achievement and transformation as a paddler and a person.

At this moment, I would also like you to think of those people in your life or who have been a part of your life and are not on this world now. I would like to remind you of the pride they must have to see you here now and to be racing in the Green and Gold on the water over the next five days.

Today as I watched the Aurora Teams from all Divisions go through their last training drills, I was truly moved by what I witnessed. On the water, I saw a squad unified in technique, drive and purpose. Off the water, I saw teams united in arms and I felt truly proud to be Australian, in a way I have only felt a few other times.

For those who have put in place this National Selection System, there should be a hugh sense of satisfaction in the results that has been achieved as we sit here now. Dragon Boating in Australia continues to move forward from the top via the AusDBF decision making process and from the ranks, through the coaches, managers and paddlers.

Change and the willingness to try new things is always a tricky and difficult process - Who moved my Cheese (*) - (that one is for you Nicola who was there for me when I had my own fears). It is hard to move away from our comfort zones even if the we are willing to change, for you see change is a step into the unknown - a "leap of faith" some would say - and this is always a risky business.

In the end acceptance, willingness and a committment to change is the only way to improve.

To achieve longevity and success in any sport requiries an acceptance of change and adaptability. So for those who have experienced campaigns past, I congratulate you. You are role models.

For those, who this is your first campaign, I also congratulate you on accepting the change and challenges in sitting here today.

I will leave you with a quote from Cadel Evans, winner the of the 2011 Tour de France, Sunday week ago. He said in an interview the day before the now famous Stage 19, which included the famous Alp de Huez Mountain Stage:

"All you have to do is stay calm and go as hard as possible from the start to the finish. It's quite simple, [..] You are only riding a bike from point A to point B."

But as we all know through our own sport and experiences over the last nine months, there is more to it than that. He expands:

"but in terms of technique there is so much in terms of peddling and breathing, and there is the corners. Just concentrating on riding out beyond limit is very taxing."

In closing, just like Cadel, I want you to realise that you are an elite sports person. You represent your country with "Pride, Power, Intensity and Passion". You are at the top of your sport at this very moment in time.

I wish you all the best as you put in place everything that you have learnt in this campaign, in your paddling career and your life, to achieve your personal and team bests, because afterall that is all we can ask of ourselves.

Water - Lac Nere / Haute-Pyrenees / France (Tue 22 Sep 2009)

Water - Lac Nere / Haute-Pyrenees / France (Tue 22 Sep 2009)
At the far end of a long walk, we sit by this beautiful lake in the middle of nowhere. The water was incredibly clear. We scattered some of Jenny's Ashes here so we will always remember this day and place.

900th Post.

Happy 100th Birthday - Den lille havfrue / Copenhagen (Fri 23 Aug 2013)

Happy 100th Birthday - Den lille havfrue (*) / Copenhagen (Fri 23 Aug 2013)
We are in Copenhagen for the last stop on our Europe 2013 (*) Adventure. I wanted to come here because of the numerous Danish TV Series, Unit One (Rejseholdet) (*), The Eagle: A Crime Odysse (Ørnen: En krimi-odyssé) (*) and more recently Borgen (*), that are so well crafted and are shown on SBS (*) with excellent subtitles.

For some reason, I love the Danish accent and it is a language I like for some reason. It is very easy to identify and they all seem to have deep voices and it almost appears that it is spoken from the middle/back of the mouth and tongue.

Australia now has a close connection with Denmark, through Mary, the Crown Princess of Denmark (*), or our Mary, as we Australian's fondly refer. And of course, there is the late Danish Architect, Jørn Utzon (*), who designed the Sydney Opera House (*).

We learnt in Amsterdam that today would be the Den lille havfrue (*) (The Little Mermaid) 100th Birthday. A visit was always planned, but it would be a special visit. Joanne had first seen her in 1984 with Jenny on their first European trip, and Joanne and I had seen her in Shanghai in the Danish Exhibition at the 2010 World Expo (*), following the 2010 Asian Dragon Championships in Wujin (*)

Today Joanne and I rose early to see the sunrise on Den lille havfrue (*). It was quiet when we arrived following a short walk from our Hotel, which through good fortune was only a 5 minute walk. There were the street cleaners making sure she would look her best, which is something I am sure is done everyday.

A couple of local TV Crews were in attendance and preparations were underway to interview a couple of people.


We made a few photos amongst ourselves and couple of others who were randomly passing and offered to photograph us. Little did they know they would end up in the photo with us.



We decided to spread some of Jenny's Ashes in the water near the Statue. It was nice to see that a little bit of Jenny would remain here and that we can think of her here and the wonderful moments she had with Jo in 1984 as well as the time that Jo and I had today.


Shortly afterwards we were asked if we would like to be interviewed by one of the TV crews. We more than happy to agree and we gave our little story as outlined above. On reflection, I feel I may have given them the impression that we travel the world to see the Mermaid wherever she maybe. While we don't explicitly do this, maybe there is a connection, as Jo and Jenny are of Swedish descent, I would like to think that maybe it is just good fortune and maybe a special implicit relationship that draws us together for small meetings every now and then.

Geoff, Maree Louise, Kristian and Joanne - Den lille havfrue / Copenhagen (Fri 23 Aug 2013)
A couple of moments I will remember, and touched me, as they showed me the fondness that the Statue has to the people of Copenhagen.

The first was a local runner, a little older than myself, pulled up from his run, stepped down to the rocks we were standing on and then stepped across the watery gap to touch the Statue on her tail. As he passed us, he said with a smile on his face, "it is her 100th birthday". We smiled back and said, "yes, we know".

The second moment was a local rowing crew, who we had seen putting there boat on the water, on the our way to the Statue, passed her on the way out for their training session. They stopped and removed their oars form their rollicks and raised them to acknowledge her special day. They did same thing on their return.




I have another lovely story to tell in a later post, maybe tonight.

There are all kinds of celebrations today, including 100 Mermaids entering the water near the Statue at 4pm and fireworks this evening at 9pm.

Better get going. Last day here and for our trip (*).